


come lie with my bones

by beezran



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gay yearning, Love Triangle, M/M, Slow Burn, Vigilante AU, al is done with his brother's bullshit, also 3am ramblings to my fellow sad gays, also ling greed and lust are triplets, and this is the result, being gay is just having a hand kink, but im really dramatic so it sounds Like That, everyone is trans/gay/has autism or adhd, everyone said fuck roy mustang rights, i forgot to mention that this is a vigilante au, i mean at least im trying, lmao im gay and sad and ive been listening to mitski a lot, me writing this: its about the yearning.... the heartache...... the longing..... the HANDS, oh yeah fuck, rubi said gay rights, the whole gang's here but i got too tired to tag them all, the yaos are a good and funky family, there's mentions of violence but it's not very graphic, this is supposed to be pretty lighthearted and wacky lmao, trisha is alive and hohenheim is a good father cause like fuck it, very chaotic tho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2020-05-31 01:54:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19416067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beezran/pseuds/beezran
Summary: Ed was twelve when he met a young agent that had more ambitions than he could hold.“Mustang,” that’s what he had called himself. Part of an undercover organization of alchemists, intent on bringing down any corruption that resides in the government and military.It was only six months later that Ed had transmuted a piece of cloth into a resistant mask and grabbed a crimson cloak.The only people allowed to know about those night crusades besides Mustang and his team were Al and Winry, childhood best friend and genius that had crafted his arm and leg. She had to know, he couldn’t lie about why his arm was busted and his leg was barely being kept together after a fight.And then, Ed was fifteen when he met the dashing son of a bigshot CEO and much to his dismay, promptly fell in love.





	1. sunkissed

**Author's Note:**

> title is from the song "i wanna be your girlfriend" by girl in red. uhhh this is literally just me letting out my heartache and yearning through a really soft fic.

Edward was ten when his family got in an accident that took his leg and arm and replaced them with metal. His mother managed to crawl out alive and well, only a few scratches. His father hadn’t been with them at the time of the accident. His brother on the other hand, got two years of his life taken away by a coma.

Ed can still hear his mother’s sobs at Alphonse’s bedside, wondering to herself and the hospital room why she had been the one to crawl out without anything taken from her. He can still see his father’s stiff back as he placed his hand on Al’s forehead and softly ran his fingers through his hair.

The rage, from the pain of his missing limbs and his comatose brother, is what he oftens attributes his findings on his alchemic powers to. Alchemy was an ancient art that had long been deemed a legend, until the Alchemists started to appear.

Ed was twelve when he met a young agent that had more ambitions than he could hold.

“ _Mustang_ ,” that’s what he had called himself. Part of an undercover organization of alchemists, intent on bringing down any corruption that resides in the government and military.

It was only six months later that Ed had transmuted a piece of cloth into a resistant mask and grabbed a crimson cloak.

The only people allowed to know about those night crusades besides Mustang and his team were Al and Winry, childhood best friend and genius that had crafted his arm and leg. She had to know, he couldn’t lie about why his arm was busted and his leg was barely being kept together after a fight.

And then, Ed was fifteen when he met the dashing son of a bigshot CEO and much to his dismay, promptly fell in love.

Ling was never part of the plan, much less the emotions he brought onto Ed with his presence. But Ed was weaker than he ever thought, and even the best thought out plans fail. Also, his father has a years old rivalry with his father.

So that’s why he doesn’t think about Ling, or at least he tries; not even when he catches his eye in the hall, siblings in tow, and receives a warm smile.

He only allows himself to savor the sweetness of his smile and the warmth of his eyes for a second before he brings himself down to earth and reminds himself that he can’t have it all in life. He survived but his brother was stripped of two years of his life.

So he stays like that, telling himself that the small glances they exchange in class and the warm smiles he gets are enough. He doesn’t need more than that, even more if that’s all he’ll ever get. He can live with it, with this love that tears him apart from the inside with every smile and burns him with every glance. He can learn how to swim in his own feelings, he’s never been one for giving up or losing a battle but it’s becoming much easier to paddle and stay afloat than to try to swim against the current. It’s becoming easier to bear with the burns his heart leaves him.

(It isn’t.)

It burns him and tears him apart.

It’s not easy.

It’s never been easy to drown, burn, and collapse all at once.

“Ed!” There’s a grin on his face as he slings his arm over Ed’s shoulders. His eyes shine and Ed has always been told he’s sunkissed with his dark complexion and golden hair and eyes, but if anyone’s been truly blessed by the sun, it’s Ling.

He has to be with the way that he makes Ed burn and crave his warmth on cold days. Yellow has always looked so good on him and Ed wishes that Ling would realize that Ed was his compliment in that way. Gold had always been his color and it seemed fitting that Ed was golden.

Ed fights his smile and the feelings that are so alive within him.

He huffs out a breath when he notices that Ling has to bend his knees to be able to look him in the eye.

Ling smiles, bright and joyful, “Are you busy tonight?” After a few seconds of silence Ling’s smile widens, “I need some help with my physics assignment, think you’re free to help out your local dumbass?”

Ed knows there’s a smile slowly tugging at his lips. “I can’t. I have to help Winry and Paninya at the shop tonight. But I can send Al to help you, he’s great at anything science related.”

Ling looks disappointed for a second until his smile returns, “How could I forget? The Elric brothers are prodigies, aren’t you?” His eyes hold an awe as they remain on Ed.

Ed wishes he could have it all.

“Hey! Ling!” Ling rips his gaze away from Ed as his siblings come up to them, Greed and Lust. The Yao triplets, they all have dark hair and dark eyes. Yet somehow they always manage to outshine all around them.

Greed’s eyes fall on him, his round sunglasses halfway up his nose and revealing his piercing eyes. He has a devilish grin on his face as he seizes Ed with his gaze, “And the golden shorty.”

Ed throws a punch at him, with his metal arm. Ling holds him back and looks at him with a soft smile.

It’s Lust the one that speaks up, expression bored and arms crossed over her chest. “He’s really not worth wasting energy on, Elric.”

Greed places a hand over his heart and gasps, Lust sticks her tongue out at him and flicks her fingers in his direction.

Ling laughs before letting go of Ed’s arm, “I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

Ed nods, and then Ling leaves with one last smile and a wave over his shoulder.

_He got too close to the sun and his wings melted._

He’ll love Ling until there’s nothing left of him.

He’ll burn and ache in his light, and he’ll live through it.

He hopes he can deal with the pain instead of having to give up his sun.

  
  
  


One of the first things Mustang said to him when he joined them in the operation was to be careful as to where he kept his relations. Al and Winry were crucial to his well being in one way or another, and Ed loved them too much to keep anything from them. They were safe, Ed kept them close and protected them as well as he protected himself with his mask and shadowed appearance.

He fears he won’t be able to keep Ling safe if he lets him into his life more than he already has.

“That’s just an excuse to not face your feelings,” Al says.

He’s sitting on his bed, his cheekbones still stick out but his eyes aren’t sunken anymore and he’s regained the dark color of his skin.

He fixes him with a glare, golden, but not as fiery as Ed’s.

Ed tenses, “Can we not talk about it, not now?” Ed has his back towards Al, he can’t bear with the person that knows him the most to pick him apart. “I have to go and meet with Mustang and the team, I really can’t deal with distractions right now.”

Al presses his lips into a tight line and narrows his eyes at him. “You know,” he glances to the side before bringing his eyes, full force, back onto Ed, “I’m here. I’m awake. You don’t have to worry about me anymore. You deserve your shot at happiness.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Is it not?” Al is unimpressed. He sighs before flopping down onto his bed. He throws his arm over his face. “I’m not saying that you have to act on your feelings, not now at least. I’m just saying that it might do you good to stop thinking about your feelings like it’s one of Shakespeare’s tragic sonnets.”

Ed looks out the window. Amestris is a relatively calm city, yet it never sleeps.

“Love doesn’t have to be a tragedy, you know.” Al throws a pillow at him as he leaves. “Don’t forget that.”

  
  
  


“Fullmetal,” Mustang’s voice is cool and smooth. There’s an ever present cocky smile on his features.

His right hand, Hawkeye, walks behind him. She’s wearing her uniform and her blonde hair is piled into a neat bun. Her brown eyes stare straight ahead, determining any target, as she keeps a hand on the gun strapped to her side.

She’s terrifying, but not as terrifying as his boxing and self defense teacher, Izumi Curtis.

The rest of the team walks behind them, slowly emerging from the shadows of the building they use as a hide out.

Havoc winks at him as he catches his eye. Ed rolls his eyes at him.

His team comes to a stop before Ed, his mask is up from his face and the hood that usually hides his golden hair from the world is down. Only the gloves that cover his mismatched hands remain.

Mustang looks around the building, “There’s not much to do tonight, but it’ll be impossible to convince you to take the day off. So why don’t you just go ahead and scour the streets?”

Ed twists his lips into a frown. “Alrigh’.”

He gives a nod to Hawkeye, who returns it with her tight lipped smile and a nod of her own, before heading out. He pulls his hood up and makes sure no stray hair can be seen as he pulls his mask down to cover his face.

Heading back home sounds tempting in the cool air of the fall night, but Ed can’t go back to his brother’s knowing look and his messy inner poetry about Ling. So he stays, watching the city move around below him. There’s not much, just a few cars and not many people milling around.

A flash of yellow catches his eye, and he turns to see a boy, bright and lively, with long black hair tied back in a ponytail, walking down the street. He pays no mind to his surroundings as he keeps his hands buried in his pockets and brushes his bangs out of his face every once in a while.

He doesn’t notice the man that comes up behind him and neither does Ed. Yet, he wastes no time to run over the roofs of the city until he lands in the alley in which Ling was taken into.

“I swear,” Ling’s voice is frightened and quiet, his back pressed to the wall and fear in his features, “I don’t have any money.” His eyes are pleading, it takes Ed all he has not to crumble at such sight. “Please,” that last word is whispered, lost somewhere in the wind as it left his lips.

That’s all it takes for Ed to lunge forward.

He’s never been one for stealth, it only became more evident with the soft clatter of his prosthetics. He’s too slow, the knife that was being used to pin Ling to the wall is thrusted forward and catches Ling in the side.

Ed deflects the blade that slashes in his direction with his metal arm. It cuts at his cloak but he couldn’t care less. He uses that second of surprise that the blade did nothing against him to throw a punch that knocks him down onto his ass. It knocks him out, Ed spits at his unconscious figure before rushing to Ling’s side.

His tan skin is rapidly losing color as Ed holds him in his arms and checks the wound.

“You…” Ed’s surprised to see that Ling still has enough strength to speak and it lets him take a breath of relief he hadn’t even known he was holding, “you have… very nice muscles.” Ling buries himself further into Ed’s arms as if to prove his point. His eyes close completely and that’s the only reason why Ed was able to regain his composure after that was said to him.

He rips his cloak off, revealing his mismatched arms, steel and flesh; golden and silver, and uses it to apply pressure to Ling’s wound. He gathers him up in his arms, still warm but quickly fading, and starts running.

  
  
  


Ling’s used to being caught up in turmoil and chaos, that’s how he learned to keep his head cool. His siblings were all chaotic assholes who couldn't go through one morning with at least one death threat during breakfast. His father was caring, but he spent a lot of time out on business trips and hissing at the father of the boy he’d been pining after since he was fifteen. And no one even knows why they hate each other, hell, they’re not even allowed to speak of the Elric-Hohenheim's and they don’t even know why.

And like stated before, chaotic siblings. Lust spent her time scheming, coming up with purely genius plans just because she wanted entertainment. Most of her plans target Greed, and Ling and Mei are the ones forced to carry them out. Greed on the other hand is a complete asshole that thinks his family is out to get him. Which is fair, since he’s the one that’s most targeted by their elaborate schemes. Also, Ling and Mei have absolutely no respect for the dumb goth nickname he decided to take on when he was ten and hasn’t let go. And Mei was small, but she was fiery and angry on a good day. She had this thirst for respect and being better than anyone else. She was a survivor, Ling’ll give her that.

But that put him in a certain position, one where he had to learn how to be collected and a diplomat in his family. He was constantly convincing Greed that tearing their sisters apart for their latest prank was not a good idea. At the same time, he was negotiating his own ass out of trouble. Did he set an oven on fire at school? Yes. Did he have a good reason? Well, that’s debatable, and luckily that’s what he’s been doing to keep himself afloat in the chaos of his siblings all his life.

God bless his mother for being a saint and being able to handle the four most chaotic and scheming kids to have ever walked this earth. Greed was silver tongued and often let the chaos rage around him, feigning composure until he wasn’t faking it. Lust was the mastermind, quick and witty. Mei was quick to react, but sometimes the actions that often followed weren’t the best ones. She was easy to enrage and she had a strong punch for someone her size. And there was Ling, somehow the most collected of the bunch. Lust had once told him that he was too smart to be so nonchalant about it. And that was for the better. He preferred to linger in the shadows and step in when he was about to be taken out by his siblings’ fire.

But yeah, he could handle a bit of chaos.

But then he met Edward Elric-Hohenheim, and it was like everything had slowed down and he was _finally_ allowed to breathe. He breathed like he had never known what air was before that moment. Ed was all fire, and chaos followed him like it was braided into his long, golden hair. And yet, he was exactly what Ling had needed to be able to breathe, someone to compliment him.

He was the only fire that didn’t burn him upon contact. And Ling… Ling could deal with that. Not only deal with it, he _wanted_ it. He wanted to bask in the warmth of the fire that resides in Ed’s eyes. All his life he’s been tiptoeing around the fire of others’ but Ed was a fire he fully welcomed with open arms.

Greed and Lust had noticed right away the way that his breath hitched and then the gasp as if he was tasting air for the first time. That’s what seeing Ed did to him.

“You know,” Greed had lowered his sunglasses so Ling could be able to see him narrowing his eyes at him, “it might be easier to keep your crush on the shorty secret if you stopped gaping and gasping like a beached whale.”

Lust’s eyes had lifted from her cup and found their way to Ling. “Confessing to him won’t be that hard, you can stare straight ahead and won’t have see his face.”

Greed had snorted at that while Ling blushed.

Golden hair and eyes was all that he could think about when the blade broke through his skin and spilled blood onto his shirt and the alley floor. It was contradictory, since the flash of the blade had been silver.

And then it was all red and black along with a silver mask.

His eyes were not visible under the shadows of the alley but he could feel the intensity of his gaze as he settled Ling in his arms and checked the wound on his torso.

“You…” He heard himself say, “you have… very nice muscles.”

And then nothing. It all went black.

  
  
  


He woke up to the smell of medicine and fluorescent lights. He woke up to several voices- all arguing- that were quickly shushed when he began to stir.

His eyes opened to the sight of his family in front of him, everyone except for his father who had left two days ago on a business trip to Europe.

He looks at his family, all gathered in the recliner and sofa bed on the side of his bed. Then, he takes a look at himself and finds that he’s hooked to an IV bag and has other wires hooked on his veins. He feels an aching pain on his side when he tries to sit up and Fu has to hold him back softly.

“Don’t move too much,” Fu says, “you’ll open your wound.” He sounds like his father, stern and gentle. There’s that fondness in his voice but there’s also exasperation. Of course, Fu should’ve known that Ling was the most likely to get stabbed when he had gone out for donuts.

Ling glances to the sofa again, Lust and Greed give him tight smiles, Mei is staring at her feet, and Lan Fan, their cousin, is staring intently at a screw on her prosthetic arm. He gives a half hearted wave when she looks up.

“Hey,” He croaks out, voice dry and hoarse. He clears his throat and Lan Fan gets up.

“I’ll get you some water,” she says and hurries out of the room.

Ling’s mother, Meiling, clears her throat before she stands and daintily takes a seat by his side. She smiles at him, eyes fond and loving as she gently brushes his bangs aside. “I honestly don’t know if I should be surprised or not.” She sighs and boops his nose, making him scrunch up his face as she lets out a soft laugh. “You were always one to wander off, but this was terrifying.”

“I’m sorry,” He says as he leans into the comfort and warmth of his mother’s touch.

She shakes her head and smiles softly at him. “There’s nothing to apologize for, honey. I was just scared.”

Lust steps forward and rounds the bed to be able to sit on his other side. She’s a very tactile person, just like Ling; except that he’s more shameless about it than her. She takes his hand and pulls it towards her, she takes in the sight of his wrist as if making sure that there really is a pulse there. “You’re lucky that the Fullmetal kid was there,” she whispers.

“He’s the hero of Amestris, how are you sure he’s a kid?” Ling says with a cocked eyebrow.

“Short enough to be one,” Greed mutters.

“Alright,” Ling says with a shrug, “that’s fair.”

Lan Fan returns, glass of water in hand. She narrows her eyes at Ling. “I hope you know that I knew you were in trouble before the hospital called.”

Ling grins. “So that blood pact we did in sixth grade did work after all, huh?”

Fu scoffs at them as his mom shakes her head, they share a look. Lan Fan smiles and rolls her eyes, “Get some rest, Ling.”

Ling twists his lips into a frown; he feels groggy from sleep at the same time his limbs weight him down with exhaustion clinging onto the edge of his mind. Nethertheless, he doesn't want to sleep. Lan Fan rolls her eyes when she sees the stubbornness in his gaze and decides it's better to not argue with him when he just got stabbed.

A phone rings, they all jump from the sound breaking through the quietness of the room. Meili looks down at her phone. She gives Ling a kiss on the top of his head and smiles softly.

“I need to take this, kiddo,” She makes her way to the door but turns back to face all of them. “Behave, I'll be right outside.”

They all nod. She steps outside.

“Hey, Fu,” Ling looks over at his grandfather who had found an old paperback to page through, “I'm kinda hungry, can you bring me something?”

Fu looks up from his book as he nods, “I'll be right back.”

Once Fu is out of the room, Ling turns to his siblings and cousin. There’s a look in his eyes that puts Lan Fan on edge, but makes Lust and Mei perk up. Greed seems indifferent to his brother’s sudden change in attitude, though the others know it’s somewhat intriguing to him.

“I need to know who he is,” Ling says. No one talks, they all stare at Ling as if expecting more. Nothing comes.

  
  
  


Ed stands on top of a building, carefully examining the streets below him. He's been on edge since last week when the incident with Ling occurred. He was getting out of the hospital that day but wouldn't be returning to school until another week. Al had tried to get him to visit but he couldn't go, not when he felt that Ling was there because of him.

He'd practically thrown himself at his work after coming back, much to Al and Winry's dismay.

Mustang had seemed please at his renewed drive, but Ed couldn't miss the way his brow furrowed in concern when he looked at him for too long.

He had actually pleaded with Ed to take the day off, he refused. He was practically jumping out of his skin with anticipation for a fight- anything to get his mind off things and take all of his energy out.

“Fullmetal,” Mustang's sharp tone through the comms makes Ed snap up. “We have movement near the bank on Ishval street, I need you there immediately.”

Ed only hums into the comm before he's taking off in the direction of the bank.

Lust wants to argue, which she often does seeing as she's the most sane of her siblings. Ling had thrown a fit and convinced Mei and Greed to take him out, arguing that staying inside for so long was driving him mad. They had agreed and now he was walking with a cane and Greed's support. Mei walked ahead of them with her childish marching steps, Shao's small head peeking out of her pocket.

Lust, however does not argue. Not after she saw Ling take in a big breath to savor the fresh air. Instead, she keeps her phone tightly clutched in her hand, ready to call Fu to pick them up.

Lan Fan walks beside her, scanning the streets and keeping an eye on Ling; Lust can see how much she thinks it's a bad idea, too. Lust might be the most sane of her siblings but Lan Fan is the most sane of the whole family.

"I should give a speech," Lings ponders into the silence of the group. Lust cocks an eyebrow and Lan Fan scoffs. "I mean, the fact that I was mugged while coming back from buying rainbow donuts and survived was very gay rights of me."

Greed nods, sunglasses high on the bridge of his nose despite it being night out. Mei takes a dagger out of her pocket and starts twirling it around her finger. People move out of their way and stare in horror. It makes Lust smile and pleases Mei, which Lust can tell in the way there's more bounce to her step.

Then, people stop staring at them and their attention shifts towards the sky. Lust follows their gaze and sees a shadowed figure running along the rooftops. He keeps to the shadows as if aiming to slip by unnoticed, but the red of his cape is too bright when the moonlight manages to reach him. It's ironic, the way his cape acts as a spotlight when they all know he wants to be invisible.

She hears Ling's breath hitch but can't rip her eyes away from the Fullmetal Alchemist.

  
  
  


Ling's heart _aches_ when he sees him running along the rooftops. All seems to stop as they stare at him and Ling feels like he's crawling out of his own skin. His hands shake at his sides, almost like they yearn to reach out and hold him. He feels like a forest fire with all this yearning, he might as well set the whole city alight.

Fullmetal saved his life _once_ and he feels like his aching heart will kill him. _Once_ , just once did he feel his hands tenderly caress his face as he bled out in an ally. Same hands that, as he had been told, gently held him as he took him to a hospital.

It's tormenting, the way in which Fullmetal disappears from their sight. Ling has heard about him, how he'll go anywhere he's needed with no regards to his life. He's heard of the hero's stupidity and tendency to ignore any wound in order to save those around him. And the thought, the mere thought of him and his stupidity and his dashing bravery costing him his life feels like drowning.

Ling turns to Greed, who's straining his neck to be able to see where Fullmetal ran off to. He taps his shoulder.

"Take me to him."

Greed furrows his eyebrows, "What in the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm in no state to run, dumbass," Ling gestures in the way that Fullmetal had run off to. "Take me to him."

Greed frowns. Mei who had, in no doubt, been listening to the whole conversation purses her lips. "I'm coming, too."

Greed shakes his head, "There's no way I'm giving you a piggyback ride, not in your condition."

Ling opens his mouth to argue before he's being scooped up into Greed's arms and carried bridal style. Mei doesn't waste a second before she's running after them too.

Lust and Lan Fan run, it's quite a scene; a punk looking teen carrying his brother while their two sisters and cousin chase after them. All because Ling started pining after a masked vigilante.

It's easy to catch up to Fullmetal, he's fast but the location is close enough that they only run for a few streets before they're stopped by officers.

Ling wiggles his way out of Greed's grip, who'd been clutching at him without noticing. Even after being wounded, he falls to his feet gracefully and turns to the first officer he can find. "What's going on?"

"There's a robbery going on."

Ling sucks in a breath. Besides him he hears Greed grunt. From the corner of his eye he sees Mei, now perched to his side like a koala to get a better view to what's going on.

"Ling," Lan Fan's voice is steady besides him, she places a hand on his shoulder, "I think we should leave."

Ling shakes his head, "He's here."

"Ling, we-" Her words are cut off by the sound of crackling electricity. A wall is knocked down and in the center of the rubble, a boy in a red cloak stands. He wears a suit, one made to not get in the way of his movements; it's made out of a shiny leather that reminds him of Lan Fan's Doc Martens. One of the legs of his suit were ripped sometime during the fight, it shows the glint of a metal prosthetic.

No one has much time to think about it or what it could tell them about Fullmetal's identity before he's pulled back into the action. The police are forcing people to step back. Fullmetal raises a wall of stone to protect himself from the bullets of the robbers. Multiple people, all there to see what's going on or to report it, scream or cower at the sound.

The fight carries on, mostly electricity as Fullmetal transmutes anything he can get his hands on into a helpful tool and the sound of flying bullets that he always manages to dodge. There's a moment of silence before a fire erupts from within the bank, away from the public eye. While fire rages on from within and everyone holds their breath, two masked figures run out, protecting the hostages and taking them to the ambulance.

Ling is too far to hear what was said but the paramedics not before they start checking all hostages and the two figures return to the bank.

The fire stops, and the flash of electricity can be seen. A few seconds later, Full metal walks out of the building, robbers in tow and all of them tied up. Helping him, are the two masked figures from before as well as two others and a man wearing a long, deep blue coat, with a good to cover his face with. Fullmetal is the one to hand over the robbers, then he turns to the camera and sends a cocky smile their way.

His eye catches Ling, or at least he thinks it did, because he stops just as he faces his direction. Ling doesn't know how to react, which is why he thinks it was good that Lan Fan took that as her chance to take him away from the scene.

"If your parents find out we were here," she says, low and coldly, "we're dead."

Ling waves his hand dismissively, taking one last look at the scene over his shoulder. He catches the crackling in the air as Fullmetal gets to work in restoring all that was damaged.

Ling smiles to himself.


	2. trade mistakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for the long wait. I had a bit of writer's block and barely got around to writing again like a month ago. Anyway, I'm really excited for everything that I have planned for this fic. Also, I made a playlist for this fic. Anyway, like I said before, this fic is gonna be pretty silly and more of like ed and ling being stupid and gay and stupid. Thank you so much for your patience and your lovely comments. I really appreciate them as well as kudos!

"I saw your little performance tonight," Ed freezes, one foot already inside his room while the other hangs out his window. Al stands in the doorway, arms crossed and pajamas ruffled from sleep. "You were stupid, as always." Al shakes his head.

Ed casts his gaze away from his brother, not wanting to see the disappointment and worry in his eyes. "You shouldn't worry, it all turned out fine in the end."

"And if it hadn't? What then?"

Ed shrugs. "I'm too tired to be having this conversation, Al. We can talk about this in the morning, besides, I have a physics test tomorrow."

Al huffs out a breath, clearly frustrated but not willing to push the subject if Ed wouldn't cooperate. Ed could only hope that he would go easy on him in the morning. 

Ed changes out of his suit and into his loose shorts and shirt and curls under the blankets. He wills himself to sleep, but instead finds himself toying with one of his golden locks and Ling's dark gaze in his mind.

From what he head heard, Ling was supposed to be bed bound until the end of the week. Why would he be roaming the streets so late at night? He saw his siblings and Lan Fan with him, in fact, it was Lan Fan who had pulled him away from the scene. 

It was good to see him, at the same time it had out him in edge. Ling was supposed to be recovering, not roaming the streets at 11 p.m. 

At last, after hours of tossing and turning, he falls asleep. 

  
  
  


Ling considers talking to his parents about updating their security while he watches Mei pick the backdoor's lock without triggering the alarms. They all take off their shoes before walking into the house, careful to remain close to the walls and carry their weight on their toes as to not make any noise.

They stop in the living room, to catch their breath and process the events of the night.

Then, a single lamp turns on and they meet a fixed glare from a pair of red eyes. 

All five of them jumped, and moved to cover each other's mouths before any of them could scream.

"I would've thought that you children would know better by now," Scar, their nanny since childhood, says in his low voice. He sighs before getting up and making his way towards the stairs. "Come along, now. It's rather late." They all nod, though his back is turned to them, and quickly follow behind him. "And this goes without saying, but I won't say anything if you promise to tell me before you decide to take another night crusade."

"Oh, yeah, totally," Lust says as the rest of them nod their heads in agreement. 

Mei elbows her way to the front and runs up a few steps before catching up to Scar and taking his hand. Scar leans some of his weight on his right side, crouching to reach Mei’s hand. Scar was like a father to them all, but Mei had developed a stronger attachment to him than any of the others.

The next morning goes on as any other, both his mom and his newly returned father come into his room to check on him in the morning. His father ruffles his hair affectionately while his mom kisses his cheek. They’re both smiling softly, glad to see Ling regaining his color and usual self. He’s sure that they would have a heart attack if they were to find out about his late night crusades when he wasn’t back to full strength yet. It makes him feel guilty.

His parents practically put their lives on hold to stay at his side throughout his recovery. They went to great lengths to make sure that Ling was well taken care of and that he had all he wanted and needed at his disposal any time of the day. The house was alive with the chatter during the interviews his parents were holding in search of bodyguards for their children. That last one seemed a bit excessive to Ling but he wasn’t about to argue, lest he be reminded that the one time he decided to venture out on his own he got stabbed in an alley. 

Later, he makes his way down the stairs with the aid of either Scar or Fu or even Lan Fan if he was up early enough to catch up to her. 

After his journey down the stairs, Ling stops at the foot of the stairs, gripping the banister and trying to hide the fact that he was struggling to catch his breath. Lucky for him, whoever it was that actually saw him tended to have enough mercy to pretend that they couldn’t hear the way his breaths came in harsh rasps and wheezes. And they also tended to be kind enough to linger for a few extra seconds at the foot of the stairs in case he needed help. 

So yes, today was no different from the other days. Except that there was more bounce to his step and his voice took on its usual cadence, a smile always on the edge of his lilting voice. 

When he entered the kitchen, ever present but once absent smug smile now back on his face, all ongoing conversations stopped. It made Ling stop mid step, his family was never quiet. 

“Yes?” He says turning to everyone on the table and Scar, who always insisted on standing by the doorway. “Something wrong?” 

“Oh nothing, honey,” His mom says, pouring more creamer onto her coffee and ignoring her husband’s side eye, “you just seem chirper today.”

“Oh,” Ling breathes out, subconscious smile taking over his features.

“I wonder why…” Greed says as he spreads butter onto his toast, winking at Ling while wearing his most shit eating grin yet. Ling kicks him under the table which makes him yelp and their sisters and cousin giggle.

  
  
  


Ed tries not to let fatigue get to him as he labors over lifting his spoon into his mouth so he can eat his cereal. He knows that he’s failing by the glare that he gets from Al over his own bowl of cereal. Their mom and dad sit on opposite ends of the table, Trisha engaged in getting the correct amount of sugar to put on her coffee and Hohenheim engrossed in the newspaper.

“Huh,” he says through the (somewhat) peaceful silence that had befallen over their breakfast. “The Fullmetal kid did another one of his shows last night.”

“Oh really?” Al asks, throwing a meaningful glare at Ed that was thankfully missed by both of their parents.

Hohenheim sighs, “Yes, really. Can you believe that? Those in charge are too imcopetent to do anything for themselves so they depend on a child wearing a mask and a tacky costume to solve their problems.” Hohenheim shakes his head, which means that he didn’t notice his eldest son’s eye twitch at the comment of the hero’s style choices and the way his younger son was struggling to hold in his giggles.

Trisha, though, did not miss it. “Careful, there. You might be insulting one of Ed’s Hot Topic friends,” she says while mockingly waving her finger in a stern motion.

That was all it took to make Al spit out his cereal and choke for a few seconds before breaking into erratic laughter. 

  
  
  


“Dad’s right, you know,” Al says as they make their way into school after being dropped off by their dad at the entrance. A few blocks ahead, he can see his dad’s car, on his way to teach at Amestris University. “It’s not your job to save Amestris, leave that to Mustang and the others.”

Ed looks around in panic at the mention of Mustang. “Don’t say that bastard’s name in public, Al.” Ed pulls him along behind him, effectively making his way through the hallways and hordes of people due to his small size. 

Al rolls his eyes, “Who could ever think of hunting down a secret organization in a public high school?”

Ed shrugs, “I’d rather keep my guard up than be caught by surprise and regret it. Besides, I can’t risk anyone’s lives, and as long as you’re associated with me, you’re a target.” Al sees the weight of his words on Ed’s shoulders, the way he keeps his eyes facing forward and his head slightly looking down so he won’t have to make eye contact with Al. “I can’t risk anyone any more than I already am.”

Something catches his eye at the end of the hallway and he stops. Coming towards him, two figures walking side by side, one with long hair flowing in silky curls and the other with spiky hair and sunglasses despite being indoors and the school dress code. Greed and Lust Yao.

“Edward,” Lust says, she brushes her hair out of her face and meets his eyes. Al had always been intimidated by her, there was something about her eyes and her general nonchalance towards everything that made her seem cold and calculated. “Alphonse,” she says with a small nod. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Greed twist his lips into a frown and his eyebrows furrow until they disappear behind his glasses.

“Skip the formalities, Lust,” he says. 

Lust narrow her eyes at her brother, “Excuse him, he was raised by feral animals. Anyway-” Lust lifts a hand before her brother can protest- “we need to talk to you.”

Ed stuffs his hands into his pockets and nods. “Hit me.”

Lust heaves out a sigh, long and melodramatic. Yet, her eyes betray her, she looks worried. “Ling has been rather lonely lately, with us in school and only having Scar and our parents there to keep him company. It’s not good for him, it makes him reckless.” Both siblings share a look that might have not meant anything to Alphonse, but Ed gets a look on his face that he knows exactly what they’re talking about. 

“What Lust is trying to say is that it would do him good to see a new face. One that he might have missed.” Greed winks, or at least he tries to, but both of his eyes close at the same time as he scrunches up one side of his face. Lust elbows him on the side, making him stumble and rub at his side. 

  
  
  


Ed's been at the Yao residence multiple time before, always careful to not tell his dad where he was going exactly because of his stupid rivalry with Xing Yao. It was quieter than the last time he'd been there, the curtains were drawn at the living room, making it seem darker and smaller than he'd ever seen before.

Ed wanders through the halls for a bit, too nervous to make his way to the garden where Lust had told him Ling would be at with his mother. It’s irrational, all the guilt he carries but each and every single little thing feels like it was somehow his fault. 

“Edward,” a deep and gravelly voice behind him says, making him whip around so fast that he swears he feels his shoulder pop. “Ling is currently at the garden with his mother.” Scar crosses his arms over his chest and fixes him with an expectant look. Ed is used to his brevity and long silences, but the way that his eyes seem to look past him and examine every part of him always make him feel awkward and vulnerable. 

Ed nods, “I’m aware.”

Scar glances out the window and then back at him. “Well, you should get going then. He’ll be glad to see you.” Scar gives him one last look before he walks off, probably to check that the others aren’t killing each other or to bake some muffins with Mei. 

Ed follows the path of light made by sunlight making its way into the house through the open back door. He stands at the deck that gazes out into the garden, a dining area is set up on the deck in which Ed has lost more games of Uno than he wants to admit and eaten dinner at Mrs. Yao’s insistence multiple times. The garden is immaculate as always, paths outlined by a variety of colorful flowers all leading to a clearing in the middle where outdoor couches and chairs surround a fire pit. A figure sits on one of the chairs, Ed can recognize his dark hair and the way his bangs stick out. Ling sits facing away from the deck, facing towards his mom who’s tending her roses. Ed can hear their lively chatter from where he stands and he takes a step forward.

Mrs. Yao’s eyes flicker in his direction and their eyes meet. Her smile widens and she winks at him. Ed blushes at the knowing look she gives him, eyes darker than usual under the shadow of her sun hat. 

“Ling, dear,” She says, “I have to go check with Scar about something. I’ll be back.” She ruffles his hair and kisses his forehead as she leaves and stops for a brief moment to pat Ed’s arm, a small and warming way of greeting him. 

Ed keeps walking until he stands merely a few feet away from the chair in which Ling sits. He’s wearing white sweatpants and a loose shirt. He faces away from his house, head tilted up to meet the sun. 

He’s absolutely breathtaking. Does he know that? Does he know how miserable he makes Ed feel? 

Ed just wants him. He wants him, all of him. He wants him to love him, for him to hold him in his heart as fiercely as Ed holds him. 

But then Ed realizes that he’s been staring at Ling for far too long and waiting any longer to get his attention would be borderline creepy. His face heats up with the realization and he clears his throat. 

Ling opens a single eye, sparing a look at him. Immediately his face lights up, breaking into a face splitting grin. “Ed,” He says in absolute delight. It makes Ed’s heart sink deeper.

“Ling,” Ed says as his eyebrows furrow and his frown deepens, “you fucking idiot. Only you of all people would almost die in such way.” Ed points an accusing finger at Ling’s now blank face, “How fucking dare you, I-” Ed stops, arm falling at his side. Then, in a moment in which his body runs on pure impulse, he wraps his arms around Ling’s neck. Before Ed can move away, Ling returns the hug, arms wrapped around his waist with enough strength to pull him forward but not enough to make him feel trapped. 

They stand like that for a few minutes, nothing but silence in between them. Ed’s face is burning and his hands are clammy, but he has Ling in his arms and nothing else really matters at the moment. He buries his head in Ling’s hair and whispers, “I was worried for you, you asshole.”

Ling laughs, soft and sweet in his ears. Ed punches him.

“Good to know that you care,” Ling says while rubbing his arm where Ed punched him, lips puckered into a childish pout. Their eyes meet, Ed mentally revels in the fact that he, for once in all the time they’ve known each other, is looking down at Ling. Then his joy bleeds out of him when he realizes that he’s only able to do so because Ling is sitting down while he stands. 

But no amount of anger over his height could over power the tenderness in his heart. Because Ling’s eyes are on him and he’s glowing in the sun, and Ed can’t tear his eyes away. How could he? 

Ling looks down, cheeks tinted a rosy color and Ed can feel his own face burning and hopes that Ling will think it’s the sun what’s making him so red. Ling scoots, leaving a space on the chair, and pats it for Ed to sit down.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Their arms brush because the chair is too small to fit both of them without them having to touch. Ed leans into Ling, lightly resting his head on his shoulder, scared to put him to flight or making things awkward. But Ling never minds physical contact, so he lays his head on Ed’s.

He’s warm and he’s all that Ed wants.

  
  
  


Ed’s presence burned Ling, it left a searing mark that makes him hurt when he thinks about him in the lonely hours of the night in his room. He’s golden and beautiful and Ling’s been in love, practically, since they met. Ling swears that Ed was made with the same intensity that creates supernovas. He’s so fiery, he feels like an explosion waiting to happen; the universe bursting at its seams. Every moment with him feels like a mark in his chest.

The actual mark on the side of his abdomen makes him feel guilty. 

The side of himself with the aching heart is chasing and impossible dream. But he feels more committed to Ed, he decided to spend his days chasing him and his every movement when he started to love him, back when they were sixteen.

Which, Ling normally feels very proud of his loyalty but committing himself to a boy that will never love him was the greatest self sabotage of his life. 

Until he started pining for a masked vigilante.

Ling sighs and flops down on his bed, not wanting to sleep but also wanting to get out of his mind. He buries his face into his pillows and swallows down the urge to scream like the dumb, lovestruck teenager he is. 

Distantly, he hears his room’s door open and someone carelessly flopping down on his beanbag chair.

He peels his face off of his pillows and glares at Greed’s smug face.

“Trouble in paradise?” Ling throws a pillow at him. Greed catches it instead of letting it hit him like a decent human. “What? Can’t I worry for my little brother?”

“We’re the same age.”

“I’m ten minutes older.” This time, he doesn’t have time to catch or dodge the next pillow that Ling throws at him. “God, I’m only asking because I hate seeing you so glum. There’s no need to try to kill me.” Ling shrugs and throws his head back to stare at the glow in the dark stars stuck to his ceiling. “C’mon, kiddo, talk to me. Or else I’m gonna have to use our triplet telepathy and go through all your thoughts.” 

“Call me ‘kiddo’ again and I will rip your arm off,” Ling glares at him, eyebrows drawn down to the point that they make his head hurt. Greed only raises his eyebrows, belittling his threat with his incredulous expression. Ling lets out a long and dramatic sigh, knowing that if he didn’t tell him, Greed would never give him a moment of peace. “I’m supposed to be the annoying sibling.”

Greed lets out a cackle, “Trust me, you are.”

Another pillow gets thrown at him. Greed grabs it, along with the other ones, and starts building a fort. 

“Is it normal to fall in love with someone who you’ve never truly met?”

Greed stops, hands frozen midair and looks at his brother with startled eyes.

“I mean, like you’ve met them but weren’t fully conscious and you didn’t even talk?” Ling shakes his head. “Forget about love, I’m not even sure if that’s what I’m actually feeling. I guess… I think I’m just crushing on him. Maybe not even that.” Ling shakes his head and meets his brother’s eyes, fully, for the first time of the night. “I don’t even know anymore.”

Greed stands up and sits next to Ling on the bed. “I think… that I can’t tell you what you’re feeling. But I do know that you shouldn’t rush to decide something. Just take your time.”

“Since when are you so deep?”

Greed grins. “I’ve always been wise beyond my years.”

Ling smiles, his brother is an absolute idiot who’s seconds away from telling Ed about Ling’s awfully loud feelings on a good day, but Ling adores him. Sure, Ling has been quite a bastard with him and has had to run away from Greed’s fury while giggling but they’re brothers. They’ve had each other’s back in every little stupid thing they’ve done. His brother is an absolute moron, but at least he’s trying to be there for Ling.

And that’s enough.

  
  
  


Ed sighs and slumps against a tree. He’s loved the park that’s in the eastern side of Amestris since he was a kid. The large trees create a perfect canopy on a hot summer day and an even better resting spot after he’s had to chase a gang of criminals through the streets of Amestris. 

Ed looks around, although he knows that the park is usually empty at night. But he still wants to be safe. He reaches up to lower the mask that covers the lower part of his face but stops.

Sitting on one of the benches is a boy with long black hair. He’s wearing pajamas and he holds a book in his hands. He looks lost in thought though, his fingers tracing the words on the spine and his eyes seeing past the pages. Yet, he looks so serene and unguarded. It makes Ed stand there, transfixed and seeking. 

He leaves his mask on, as much as it makes his face heat up from his breath, and makes sure that his hair is tucked into his hood. He makes his way to the bench on which Ling sits, careful not to make too much noise with his heavy boots. Though, he finds that that is no problem since Ling is too lost in his own mind to pay attention to Ed’s quiet footsteps getting closer to him. Or at least that’s what he thinks.

One second, Ed is reaching out to get Ling’s attention and the next, his arm is grabbed by two strong hands and bent until it’s behind his back and he can’t move. There’s a foot on his back that brings him to his knees, and he can hear Ling’s heavy breathing. 

Ed’s mind is spinning by how fast it all happened and lets out a breathy, “Dude, what the fuck.”

Ling immediately comes to his senses and loosens his grip. “Ah, fuck.” A beat of silence, then a much louder, “Ah, fuck!”

Ling’s grip loosens completely and he hears the hurried shuffling of feet going backwards. Ed makes his way to his feet and cradles his arm in his chest as he turns around. Ling looks absolutely panicked. 

“Oh my God,” Ling says, “Oh God, I can’t believe I did that.” His cheeks go red and he covers his face with his hands. “I’m so sorry,” he says through his fingers. “I swear it was just a reflex.”

“Well,” Ed says, stretching out his arm, “you’ve got a hell of a reflex.”

Ling can’t help it then, Ed sees it in his face because he knows him so well through his lovesick observation, and he breaks down into laughter. He’s hunched over his stomach by the time that Ed joins him, a little embarrassed but so glad to see Ling so lively at such hours of the night. He’s untouched, he’s a whole force on his own.

Finally, once they’re both able to gather themselves, Ling makes his way closer to him in small and timid steps. “I’m genuinely sorry about what happened. I just wasn’t expecting anyone to be out here at such hours. It’s usually so quiet at night, so I came here to think.”

Ed nods, eyes locked on his beauty and feeling too weak to fight against the urge of placing his hand on Ling’s cheek. He doesn’t. Instead he says, “Me too.”

Ling smiles. His eyes flicker to the book that’s still on the bench. “You know, I was actually hoping to run into you.” Ling looks at him, searching for his eyes in the shadow of his hood and Ed wants to pull it back and bear himself to him. “I wanted to thank you for… for saving my life a few nights ago.”

Ed shrugs, “It’s my duty to keep the city and its citizens safe.”

Ling smiles and rolls his eyes. “I know, silly, but I still wanted to thank you.” 

Not knowing what else to say, but also not wanting the atmosphere between them to feel awkward, Ed says, “Isn’t it a bit late to be out, though?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

Ed shrugs, “Fair enough.” He looks at Ling, still not fully recovered, “You shouldn’t be out by yourself, though.”

“You’re here, aren’t you?”

Ed places out his hand in a barely processed thought, “I guess I am.” His mask conceals the smile that tugs at his lips when Ling places his hand in his. 

Ling’s hands are larger than his own, and with long elegant fingers that Ed knows can be deadly if given the right weapon. He’s been witness to many of Ling’s combat competitions and he knows how skilled he is. But he also knows the tenderness that his fingers convey through the gentlest touches on his arm, the spontaneous tucking of his bangs behind his ears and the smile he gets when Ed looks at him, awestruck and skin seeking the warmth of his hands. 

Ed shakes himself out of his thoughts and resists the urge of threading his fingers with Ling’s. “Lead the way.” 

Before he can speak, the ground beneath their feet starts to shift and they rise on a platform made of wood and dirt. Ling looks at Ed, mouth hanging half open, Ed shrugs. Once they’re a few feet above the ground and able to see most of the city, Ling points at the direction of his house.

“Alright, just tell me if I’m going too fast.”

Before Ling knows what’s happening, Ed grabs his hand and takes off, feet barely touching the newly raised path before it’s returning to what it was.

  
  
  


Ling’s hair is windswept and he’s breathless when Fullmetal finally comes to a stop. The gates to his house stand before him, the house itself illuminated by streetlights and the lights at the front door. 

“Nice place,” Fullmetal says nonchalantly and Ling nods. “How are you going to get in though? It looks like the place is packed with security and I don’t think it’ll be appreciated if you set off the alarm at two a.m.”

“I’m just gonna text my cousin. She’s always awake, she’ll let me in.” 

Fullmetal nods and stays facing forward, as if trying to see through the windows when Lan Fan will see her phone.

**primadonna girl… yeAH: are you awake???**

**lightning mcqueen kin: WHAT DID YOU DO**

**primadonna girl… yeAH: nothing??? I just need you to let me inside**

**pwease :3**

**lightning mcqueen kin: I’ll be there in five minutes**

Ling puts his phone back in his pocket and stands there, the air between him and Fullmetal too tense to break. A little disheartening, but Ling’s fine. They’re both tired, or at least that’s how he tries to reason the awkwardness with himself. 

Ling feels his phone vibrate in his pocket and feels a wave of relief overcome him.

**lightning mcqueen kin: I’m at the gate**

**… who’s the shorty with you???**

Ling giggles to himself and steals a quick glance at Fullmetal. “She’s here,” Ling awkwardly points at the gate where a figure had appeared. Then his face softens, “Thank you, again, for saving me and now for walking me home.” 

Fullmetal shrugs, “I really don’t mind.” 

“I still appreciate it.” Ling runs to the gate and glances back before making his way inside to wave goodbye.

“Ok, seriously,” Lan Fan says after shutting the door behind him, “who was that?”

Ling shrugs, “Just someone.”

Lan Fan glares at him from the side of her eye, “I’ll fucking chop off your ponytail if you don’t tell me.” She pulls out a knife and in the blink of an eye she has it ready to chop off his hair with a single throw.

Ling chuckles nervously and lifts up his arms in surrender and to defend himself in case he needs to. “No need to get aggressive, dear cousin.”

Lan Fan narrows her eyes at him. She sighs and puts her knife back in her pocket, “Was it Ed?”

Ling shakes his head and hopes that his smile is not visible enough in the dark. 

“Oh.”

  
  
  


“Did you know that people die if they don’t get enough sleep?” Al says after having thrown a pillow at Ed’s head. “Interesting fact, isn’t it?”

Ed pulls down his mask and glares at his brother, though he quickly falls apart at his little brother’s big eyes and accusing gaze. “Fine, I’ll go to bed.”

“Good.”

“Is that all?” Ed asks as he takes off his cloak and Al remains standing by the doorway. 

“No,” Al gets a look on his face that Ed does _not_ like, not one bit. “You’re going to tell me everything that happened on your date with Ling-” the last word was drawn out in a high pitched voice which made Ed cringe.

“It wasn’t a date.”

“It totally was!”

“Was not!”

“Was too!”

“Was not-!”

“Boys!” They both turn to the sound of their mother’s voice, who stands in the hallway. “Could you keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep.” She stops and takes a second to process the fact that Ed is still wearing his suit and that his cloak is on his bed. “Edward… I’m glad you’ve gotten new hobbies, but maybe try to work on your cosplay during the day. It looks very nice though, dear.”

Both brothers stare at her wide eyed as she turns around and makes her way to her room. “Good night,” she calls over her shoulder and both boys mumble out a response.

“Ok, what the fuck-” Another pillow gets chucked at Ed’s head. 

  
  
  


**MARINA FUCKS: heard you had a date with a certain boy ;)))))**

**my immortal > hamlet: STFU IT WAS NOT A DATE**

**MARINA FUCKS: it counts as a date if you wanted to kiss him ;))))))**

**my immortal > hamlet: i don’t know shit but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work like that**

**MARINA FUCKS: oh yeah?? then explain how paninya and i had already gone on 16 dates before we actually dated**

**my immortal > hamlet: i’m blocking you**

**MARINA FUCKS: NOOOOOOOO**

“Did you tell Winry that Ling and I had a date?” Ed glares accusingly at Al.

Al stops chewing for a second and avoids his glaze and then starts to chew faster. “No,” he says through his pop tart. “But brother,” Al swallows his pop tart and a mischievous smile starts spreading across his features, “did you just admit that it was in fact a date?”

  
  
  


Scar once worked as an agent for FBAS, Federal Bureau of Alchemists and Scientists, which paid his bills and he considered important work. The work was good, Scar would get assigned a corrupt man and he would take them out accordingly. Even if the methods went against everything he’d been taught from birth, Scar was content with his work.

Or more like he didn’t pay it much mind, and tried to rationalize his actions by telling himself that he was doing the right thing. 

And then he met Miles. He transferred there when General Armstrong received her promotion and brought him along to work under her. 

Miles was kind, and smart, and assertive and he made Scar want to be a better person. He opened his eyes in a way that Scar had believed was permanently shut off to him. Miles understood his struggles and his desires and Scar felt like a new and better version of himself every single time that he was near him.

And then he almost died, which wasn’t ideal because he was planning to ask Miles out on a date after that mission. 

After recovering, he finally got to go on that date. And many more afterwards.

And then came the question, “What do I truly want out of life?”

Months before, he would have said that he just wanted to pay his bills and not die, also to make a change in any way he could. But then… then he wanted more. 

He wanted a family and change that came in less informal and more moral ways. 

“I want something more, too,” Miles had whispered into his temple before falling asleep on their shared bed. Scar was glad to hear that, they both wanted to lead normal lives, away from the corruption and dangerous missions. 

Although all that was settled and both men had agreed to change their lives for the better, Scar was still attached to his work. He felt important through it, like he was genuinely inciting change by getting rid of corrupt men. 

But then a rookie made it in and Scar was in charge of training him. 

“Mustang,” He had held out his hand, sly smirk on his face, and Scar knew that he was a quality bastard. 

Mustang was ambitious, he reminded him too much of Miles’ childhood friend and commanding officer, Olivier. Except that Olivier was a genius in her own right, unlike Mustang who was witty at best and an absolute fool at worst.

Scar barely made it through a year of mentoring and training Mustang before deciding that enough was enough and quitting. He then found a job and a home with the Yaos, who were in need of a nanny after Mrs. Yao had given birth to triplets and her sister had recently died, leaving behind a baby girl.

Scar thought that his old life was behind him, especially when he got married to Miles, who had gotten a job at a local school. 

So, it was a total shock when he answered the door to find Mustang, now older and more composed, standing there. 

Scar didn’t even bother to greet him and just glared at him. 

Mustang took his time to look around and take in the house and garden, clearly impressed and not where he would have expected to find Scar. “Scar.” Scar continues to glare. Mustang clears his throat, “Listen, I know that it’s been seventeen years, but we have reasons to believe that-”

Mustang gets cut off by the sound of childish shrieks and loud cackling as well as a growl of, “Mei-fucking-Chang Yao, I’ll fucking kill you!”

Scar turns around just in time to witness a gaggle of four teenagers run into the room as they’re pursued by a very angry Greed.

Ling stumbles, still not fully recovered and Scar steps in to catch him just in time. “Be careful, child.”

Ling nods as he grins up at him and continues to run from his brother. Scar turns back to find Mustang staring, dumbfounded, past him at where the kids had just been.

“I’m sorry,” Mustang says, blinking rapidly, “Are those your kids?”

“Do not try to start a casual conversation with me, Mustang.” 

Mustang sighs, “I’m here on official business-”

“Not interested,” Scar says. “I’m not being dragged back into that shitshow.” Before Mustang can say anything else, Scar slams the door on his face. He turns back and meets the eyes of five kids, sitting on the stairs. “I guess you heard that.”

Lan Fan shrugs. “Not all of it.”

“What kind of business,” Ling asks, wide eyed and curious. 

Scar shrugs, then a smile starts spreading across his face. All of them exchange curious glances. “Go get your water guns, we’re having some aim practice.”

  
  
  


Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye has to stifle her laughter as she watches Colonel Mustang make his way to the car, soaked from head to toe. She wondered if she could play off the fact that she had watched from the safety of the car as five teenagers attacked him with water guns from a window. 

She decides to see how much she can get away with as he opens the door. “Sir, I’m sorry but I will not allow you to get in my car like that.” The look on his face is priceless. 

She wishes it were night already so she could tell Edward, as she’d grown quite fond of the boy and often helped him in his anti-Roy antics. She was fiercely loyal to Roy, seeing as they’d grown up as if they were siblings, but it also meant that she wouldn’t stand in the way of Edward making Roy’s life the tiniest bit harder. 

  
  
  


“So,” Mei starts, giving Shao May small portions of her lunch under the table as Scar pretended not to see, “who was that?”

“Old coworker.”

All of them immediately perk up. Ling grins, “Alright, time for another round of ‘What was Nanny Scar’s old job.’”

Scar scoffs, which only makes them smile wider. 

“Ooh!” Greed waves his arm in the air and they all turn to look at him. “Butcher.” Everyone groans and rolls their eyes. “What? You never know what goes on in butcher shops!”

“Izumi and Sig own a butcher shop,” Lust points out, “and they’re some of the most morally upright people we know.”

“And the most terrifying,” Greed counters.

“Pyramid scheme,” Lan Fan says. “I mean, that guy looked like he makes a living out of selling weight loss powders.”

“I’m offended that you would think I’d work as part of a pyramid scheme,” Scar says, in his deep and monotone voice. 

Lan Fan frowns, “At least I tried.”

“Professional boxer!” Lust smiles at him in triumph. Her smile doesn’t last more than five seconds, by then Scar is already shaking his head in denial. 

Mei slams her hand on the table and points at him. “Firefighter!” She shrieks, her voice so high it makes everyone but Scar flinch.

Scar keeps eye contact with her before softly saying, “No.”

“I bet you were like a secret agent in a secret organization but decided that it was too much and just left.” Everyone stares at Ling unblinking, even Scar stares at him with a dumbfounded expression. “Wait, no. That’s too much of a reach.”

Scar subtly lets out a breath, hoping that no one notices. He can’t risk the safety of these kids, he’d rather die before risking any of them.

  
  
  


“Ah, Scar,” Mustang rests his head on his intertwined hands, an old habit that always managed to tick Scar off, “glad that you thought about it.”

“Mustang,” Scar says, “I see that today’s incident didn’t wash away your arrogance.”

Mustang glares at him. Scar glares back. 

He still can’t believe it, his mentor from seventeen years ago now working as a nanny for one of the richest families in the city. Scar didn’t strike him as someone that could ever withstand a child, and yet he’d seen them. He’d gotten attacked by them. And through going over surveillance footage of the street, could tell that he cared for them as if they were his own. 

Mustang doesn’t have much time to dwell on it, as he catches something in the shadows from the corner of his eye. Scar sees it too and his jaw visibly clenches. 

“You can come out, child.”

Fullmetal steps forward, his eyes not leaving Scar for a second. If Roy didn’t know any better, he would say that Edward looked terrified. 

Scar seizes him, anger in his eyes but not a hint of malice. His nostrils flare as he turns to look at Mustang, disapproval all over his face. “I don’t know who the hell is in charge nowadays, but y’all must be in deep shit to get children to fight for you.”

“He’s a talented alchemist.”

“Talented or not, he could die! This is a battlefield and you’re sending kids out there. Kids!”

Ed clears his throat and both pairs of eyes turn to him. “I can make my own choices.”

“Edward?”

“Ah, fuck,” Fullmetal pulls down his mask and glares at Scar. “I was hoping you wouldn’t recognize me.”

“I’m no fool, child.” He frowns down at Edward, “Though I can’t say that for you.”

“Hey, the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” Scar meets his eyes, which makes Edward visibly freeze, “that you’re too young to carry the safety of a city on your shoulders.” Scar sighs and looks out a window, in the direction of the neighborhood where his house and the Yao residence are. “Be young before you regret not doing so.”

Ed frowns but says no more, then he turns around and leaves, pulling up his mask as he walks through the door.

“Ok,” Mustang says, getting whiplash for the fifth time that day. “How do you know Edward? And how did you know he was a kid before you actually saw him?”

“Close friend of my kids, probably my future son-in-law. Ah… and he’s fairly short, I would have guessed anyone his height would be younger than at least seventeen. But don’t tell him I said that; I can’t imagine the hell he’d raise if he heard me comment on his height.”

“Ah,” didn’t clear up much, really, but Roy wanted to move on. He clears his throat takes out a file that he actually bothered to read. “The reason for contacting you was not to get you back in,” Mustang starts as Scar takes a seat on the other side of the desk. “We have reason to suspect that your last assignment didn’t turn out the way we believed it did. Bradley isn’t dead.”

“Impossible,” Scar says. “I made sure that the bastard paid for his crimes.”

“Yes, but maybe he didn’t. Not fully anyway.”

“I don’t understand,” Scar leans forward in his seat, frown deepening with every passing second. It was quite impressive how he had no wrinkles despite his default expression being a frown. “Bradley died, I made sure of it and you had a team confirm it.”

“That’s what we all thought.” Mustang avoids Scar’s eyes as he says the following, “He lost enough blood to make us believe that he died while trying to escape. We never recovered a body, but we saw no need to, the blood was enough.”

“Apparently not,” Scar grumbles out. “So now what, the bastard is alive. Why should I care, it’s been seventeen years.” Scar sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, “I promised myself and my husband that I will not be dragged back into this and I intend to uphold that promise. If you have nothing else to say, then I’ll take my leave.” Scar gets up from his chair and makes his way to the door.

“We have reason to believe that he’s after you,” Mustang calls behind him, making him pause, hand hovering over the door knob. “Everyone you care about could be in danger as well as yourself, so I advise you take a seat and listen to what I have to say.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading. I will try to update more often and not wait so long to update. But anyway, if you wanna come scream at me to update or just wanna drop an ask, here's my tumblr!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Greed makes his way down the stairs and walks past the living room on his way to the dining room. He pauses, something catches his eye. Greed stands in the middle of the room as he stares up at their family portrait.
> 
> His eyes stay transfixed on the spot where Ling’s grinning face should be. In his place, a blonde boy with big blue eyes smiles shyly at the camera.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep saying that I won't take forever to update. But guess what!!!! I do!!! Anyway, this is a little bit of a filler chapter. My friend, Tina, and I were like "What if they did the Asian Jim joke but like.... White Ling." And thus this chapter was born. So anyway, the real reason why I haven't update in months is because my hubris got the best of me and I'm an idiot. Anyway, I'll probably take a while to update again but please bear with me. I promise it will get better.

Greed makes his way down the stairs and walks past the living room on his way to the dining room. He pauses, something catches his eye. Greed stands in the middle of the room as he stares up at their family portrait.

His eyes stay transfixed on the spot where Ling’s grinning face should be. In his place, a blonde boy with big blue eyes smiles shyly at the camera.

“What the fuck,” Greed breathes out, pulling down his glasses to get a better look. He looks around the room and sees the same blonde boy in every picture Ling should be in. But no sign of Ling. There’s even pictures of a white baby on the mantel, completely bald and freaky. They all had full heads of hair when they were born. 

Greed makes his way into the living room, convinced that he’s having a fever dream. He stops in the doorway, a pair of blue eyes look his way along with the usual dark and red eyes. 

“What the fuck.”

Mrs. Yao puts down her silverware, the sharp clatter rings out throughout the room. “Language!”

Lust and Mei exchange a look and roll their eyes simultaneously. Greed remains on the doorway.

“Will you not be eating with us?” Fu asks, not even glancing up at him.

Greed shakes his head. “Where’s Ling?”

“Uh… right here?” A voice so foreign that it makes him flinch says.

Greed turns to fully look at him, blue eyes and blonde hair that seem so wrong in the chair that his brother usually occupies. His hair barely brushes by his ears, not long enough to be tied into a ponytail. Ling hates having short hair.

“No,” Greed pinches the bridge of his nose, “Ling isn’t white.”

Everyone puts their silverware down and turns to fix him with a sharp glare. 

“Gregory! Don’t say that!” Mrs. Yao hisses at him.

“No, it’s fine,” White Ling holds up a hand to silence her. “Thank you, brother, for not seeing color.”

Greed turns to Scar, feeling like he’s losing his mind and knowing that in hard times Scar is always levelheaded and lucid. Scar shakes his head at him, “Apologize to your brother, Gregory.”

“What?”

“You heard me,” Scar says. “I did not raise you to be rude. Now apologize.”

“But-” Greed waves his arms in White Ling’s direction- “that’s not Ling!”

Lan Fan abruptly gets up and walks over to White Ling. She helps him get up and leaves, glaring at Greed from the corner of her eye on her way out. 

Mr. Yao clears his throat. “Greed, I’m deeply disappointed with the way you treated your brother today. And so soon after his recovery too!”

Mrs. Yao nods, “Go apologize before you leave.”

Greed stands there, dumbfoundedly staring at his family.

  
  
  


**Chat: evil plans™**

**primaddona girl… yeAH:** are you guys gone yet???

i’m starving :((((

 **goffix rights:** greed’s getting his vest

 **litle creacher:** i should have burned that when i had the chance

Ling strains his ears to be able to hear the car doors closing. He waits until he hears the engine roar to life before it leaves. Then he runs down the stairs.

On his way to the kitchen, he passes White Ling. They acknowledge each other with a nod. 

  
  
  


Greed makes his way into school with his face unusually red. 

“I still cannot believe that you treated Ling like that. Your own brother!” Mei has been scolding him since they made their way out of the house. 

Lust has been on her phone the whole time but she nods in agreement. Lan Fan keeps glaring at him. 

Greed shrugs, too tired to keep arguing that White Ling isn’t his brother. 

Then, he spots two golden heads making their way through the halls; a blonde girl and a dark haired girl trailing behind them while holding hands. 

“Oh, thank fucking God,” Greed mutters and makes his way to them. “Hey, short stuff!”

Ed immediately stops and turns to fix him with a glare, right eye twitching. “What did you just say?”

“Ah, sorry.” Greed waves him off, “I really need your guys’ help.”

Winry and Paninya exchange glances while Alphonse twists his lips. Ed just crosses his arms over his chest. “With what?”

“I just need you to answer me this; is Ling white?”

All of their eyes widen, and he’s sure that they’ll tell him that he’s crazy and _no_ , _Ling is_ not _white_. Instead, what they do is shake their heads. 

“What kind of question is that?”

“A sound one!”

“No,” Al says, tapping his fingers on his arm, “it’s really not.”

“It doesn’t make sense for him to be white!” Greed waves his arms around, not caring that people are turning to stare.

“I don’t think genetics work like that,” Winry says looking at something over his shoulder.

Before Greed can say anything else, a hand grabs his shoulder. He looks over his shoulder and sees his sisters and cousin. 

Lan Fan is shaking her head at him while Lust and Mei are glaring at him. 

“Excuse my brother,” Mei is saying to the others, “today is really not his day.”

“Wait, no,” Greed shrugs off Lan Fan’s hand off his shoulder and starts fumbling through his pockets. He fishes out his phone and starts scrolling through his camera roll. “That isn’t Ling,” he taps the picture and shows his phone to the others, “ _this_ is Ling.”

They all gather around his phone as he smirks at them. They only look at his phone for a few seconds before they narrow their eyes up at him. Greed’s smile falls and he takes his phone back to look at it himself. 

“Wait, what?” Staring back at him is his own face scrunched up and sticking out his tongue while White Ling laughs at the camera. “What the fuck.”

  
  
  


“How’s the Greed operation coming along?” Al asks as he and Ed sit down.

“I swear he probably thinks he stepped into an alternate dimension.” Lust says while waving her spoon around, Ed barely dodging the splatter of yogurt that flies his way.

Ed snorts, “He actually asked me what color lions are last period.”

“Should I feel bad that we’re melting his brain?” Lan Fan asks before she breaks down into laughter loud enough to catch the attention of everyone around them.

Lust shrugs, “He’ll be fine.” They all exchange glances and she narrows her eyes. “I think.”

“Mom would drop kick us before we cause him any serious harm, he’ll be fine,” Mei says as she bites into her sixth cookie. “And Scar wouldn’t have taken part in it if he didn’t think it was a good idea.”

  
  
  


Yesterday’s events have been replaying in Scar’s mind on a loop. 

The fact that Edward is a teenager was not enough to stop Mustang from recruiting Ed. It makes Scar sick. He had argued against Roy’s recruitment, but in the end accepted that he would have to train a seventeen-year-old to become a killing machine for a secret agency. And now the bastard is recruiting actual children. And to make matters worse, it’s the boy that Ling’s been pining after since he was fifteen. 

He only hopes Roy has half the mind to keep an eye on Edward, to ensure his safety.

Miles shakes his head as they sit on an outside table of a small cafe. “I knew that they were desperate to start making real change, but I never imagined they would swoop so low.” He takes off his sunglasses, the ones that Greed had gotten him as a Christmas gift, and pinches the bridge of his nose. “God.”

Miles looks up at him and their eyes meet over their drinks. Scar purses his lips and lowers his eyes, there’s a certain resignation in his eyes that makes Miles’ breath hitch. He reaches across the table and takes his hand, “Are you sure?”

Scar looks away, bringing his cup of tea up to his lips, hand still in Miles’. “I don’t know how else to handle this.”

Miles opens his mouth, ready to argue, but something in his husband’s eyes makes him close it again.

Scar shakes his head, eyes closing as if it all were to disappear if he willed it to. “I can’t risk it. What if he _is_ alive? How could I ever put them in danger? How could I ever put _you_ in danger?”

Miles reaches out with his other hand to cup Scar’s jaw, “My dear, you seem to have forgotten where we met.”

Scar rolls his eyes and leans into his touch. “I never meant to say that you can’t take care of yourself, but we all know how these people operate.”

Miles tilts his head in understanding, “Ah, yes, the good old “exploit your enemies’ weaknesses.”” Scar smiles as he turns his head slightly to the side to place a kiss on Miles’ wrist, directly above his pulse. “And Edward, what will you do about him?”

“It seems there’s no way to change his mind; the boy is awfully stubborn.”

Miles barks out a laugh, “Seems to me that Ling really knows how to pick them.”

Scar narrows his eyes. “I’m worried of what it will mean for them if they finally fess up to their feelings. All I can hope is that Ling doesn’t follow Edward head first into danger.”

  
  
  


Ling’s absolutely done with everything and on the verge of committing arson. His visit to the doctor had brought the wonderful news that he would be able to return to school in around three days. And Scar had gotten him some ice coffee from his and Miles’ coffee date, so really, his day should have been fine. 

Until he walked into his house and was met with blue eyes and blond hair. 

“So what’s up with this Edward kid,” Ling’s shoulders tense as he looks over at Chad, holding his phone and squinting at his screen. “Your character profile mentions him a lot.”

Ling feels his cheeks start to burn and turns away from him. “Edward is a close friend of mine.”

Chad raises his eyebrows, “Okay.”

Ling leaves to look for Scar.

“Why is he here again?”

Scar raises an eyebrow at him, “We thought it would help for you two to properly meet. Gregory almost cracked us after pointing out that you never acted the way that he does.”

Ling nods, eyebrows furrowing, “Didn’t you guys give him a profile sheet or something like that?”

“Indeed,” Scar says, “but we should have expected it, his resume says that he’s only scored commercial gigs until now.”

  
  
  


Mustang watches the Yao residence from a distance. 

“I think you’re wasting your time here, sir,” Riza says, eyes trained on the street ahead of them. “He doesn’t seem particularly interested in coming back.”

“No no. He will.”

  
  
  


Greed makes his way downstairs only to be met with none other than Ling. Asian Ling, the _true_ Ling.

“You’re back!” Greed practically screeches before latching himself onto Ling.

Ling wiggles in his arms, “I never left?”

Greed lets go of him and points an accusing finger at him, “Do _not_ fuck with me, Yao.”

“Gregory,” Both boys turn to see Scar standing with his back pressed to the kitchen’s doorway. “I sure hope I didn’t just hear you swear.”

Greed is about to make a comment about how he’s no longer willing to talk to Scar ever since he betrayed him and agreed that Ling is white, but he stops. The words get caught in his throat as he stares at their family portrait. 

Ling’s cheeky and charming grin is back where it belongs. 

Greed shakes his head, “I need a nap.”

“But you just woke up.”

“I need coffee, then.” Greed mutters before leaving them behind to make his way into the kitchen.

Ling and Scar follow a few seconds afterwards, Ling immediately settling into his chair and Scar goes to help Mei reach the marshmallows and whipped cream for her monstrosity of hot chocolate.

No one, not even once, mentions his meltdown or White Ling. 

Greed sighs, “I swear I have never even seen a drug, but the sugar did taste weird.”

Everyone glances at each other before going back to their food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are appreciated, thank you so much to the people that are still reading this and also to my friends that are willing to listen and contribute to my crackhead ideas. Muah!!! 💕


	4. this, and this, and this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What?” Ed’s voice doesn’t have its usual bite, instead, it’s quiet in the space between them. “What are you looking at?”
> 
> “You.”
> 
> Ed rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I got that, idiot.” Ed shifts slightly so they’re closer, “I mean, what are you trying to find.”
> 
> “What makes you think I’m looking for something?” 
> 
> Ed shrugs, “You just… you’re looking at me like, like you’re trying to find something.”
> 
> Ling smiles and leans forward so their foreheads are pressed together. “Go to sleep, Ed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I think it's about time I mention that I'm a "can't write plot" author. Anyway, this is a slightly longer chapter than the last one. I might take a little bit longer to post the next chapter, again, my apologies. Anyway, I actually really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you guys will enjoy reading it. Also, some things to clear up;
> 
>   1. Lust's name is Luciana Solaris Yao, only Scar is allowed to call her Luciana and her parents call her Solaris 
>   2. Miles was adopted by the Armstrongs 
>   3. Mr. Yao and Hohenheim have an ongoing rivalry (more on that later). 
> 

> 
> Comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!

Ed rolls onto a rooftop - quite literally. 

He’d been having a relatively quiet night until he saw a group of men on the rooftops of houses neighboring the Yaos’ home. He’d been more vigilant around there ever since he found out about Ling’s nightly escapades. 

He didn’t like the look of it, so he went to action. Three of the men had managed to hop off the rooftop and disappear into the night, leaving two for Ed to chase through the night. He took a second to be thankful for the city's narrow streets, and to consider how badass he must look chasing suspects through the night. 

Of course, that only lasted a second before the men parted ways and Ed only had a second to cover his face as he burst through the window of an abandoned warehouse. Then, running purely on adrenaline, he kept running through the smashed glass before realising he could stop. He jumped to the roof of the warehouse next to the one he’d just crashed through. And because it seriously isn’t his night, he tripped, foot getting caught in his efforts to stop and he went tumbling down.

“Shit, shit, shit,” He mutters to himself as he rolls onto his back until his knees touch the ground. His red cloak is thrown forward, flinging itself onto his front. He lets out a sigh as he throws it back over his back.

“Holy shit, are you ok?” 

Ed’s shoulders tense up at the sound of the voice. Tentatively, he looks up, golden eyes searching for the source of the voice in the dark. 

“Shit,” He whispers as he meets Ling Yao’s eyes. 

Ling smiles at him and offers his hand to help. Ed takes it and hauls himself off the ground. 

“Thanks.” 

“No problem.” Ling tilts his head to the side, eyebrows furrowing and Ed’s thrown off by how adorable he finds it, “Are you sure you’re ok, though? You look like you took a pretty hard fall.”

Ed shrugs, “Yeah, I’m good.” 

Ling doesn’t look entirely convinced. He gives him a one over before shrugging, “If you say so.”

“I do say so,” Ed snaps back. “Besides, what are you even doing up here? It’s like two in the morning.”

Ling’s cheeks turn red. “My dad owns the place.” He looks away, smiling sheepishly, “And I like to come here to star gaze.”

“Oh,” Ed stands there, feeling as much of an idiot as he probably looks. “Do you want me to leave?”

“No,” Ling looks affronted by the question, “if anything, I think you deserve a second to relax after quite literally rolling out of the sky.”

“Oh, shut it,” Ed says.

Ling just laughs, “I mean it!” He turns to look at Ed fully, “Besides, we’ve met three times already, it’s about time we had an actual conversation.”

“Do you count that one time I saved you from an alley,” Ed says.

“Uh,” Ling looks around before meeting Ed’s eyes, “depends on what I said. Was I weird?”

“You were losing blood, so I figure I should cut you some slack.”

“How kind of you,” Ling says, and Ed catches the flash of something in his eyes.

Ed clears his throat. “But, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you get up here?” Ed waves over the edge, “I figure it can’t be easy making it all the way up here after getting stabbed.”

Ling smiles, his eyes narrowing and full of mischief. It’s a look that’s always terrified and exhilarated Ed in equal amounts. “I have my talents, too, you know.”

_Yes, yes I know._

Ed nods. 

“And if you don’t mind _me_ asking, how do you come around to this?” Ling gestures at him, eyeing up his suit, “Is there like a job interview? Newspaper ad?”

Ed huffs out a small laugh, it almost sounds like a grunt. “Something like that.”

“Is there a superhero school? ‘Cause that would be cool as hell.”

“No. No superhero school as far as I’m aware.”

“Bummer, I was already thinking of sending my application.”

“You don’t mean that.” Ed has to hold back the bite and bitterness, the fear, from his voice.

Ling’s eyes widen and Ed has a second to mentally punch himself. 

“I’m sorry, that- that was uncalled for.”

“No,” Ling waves his hand dismissively, “it was a dumb joke. I don’t know what this truly entails.” His cheeks start to redden and he rubs the back of his neck. “I- uh. I just worry about you.”

“Why?”

Ling shrugs, “I just imagine it gets lonely. And not to mention, it’s dangerous. Am I not allowed to worry at least a little?”

“I guess you are entitled to your emotions.”

Ling smiles. They stand there, both still standing a few feet apart in the quiet of the night, the moon being the only source of light. 

Ling puts his hand out, startled as if he had just remembered something, “I almost forgot, I’m Ling. Ling Yao.”

Ed takes his hand, unsurprised by the firm shake. He knows Ling’s hands; he’s familiar with them after two years of him dragging him to and from chaos, him helping Ed balance himself, the wandering touches when they’re bored during study hall. Ling had even tried to read his palms once after “borrowing” one of Lust’s books about Wiccan practices.

“I’m sorry, I can’t.”

Ling smiles at him, it always startles Ed how free of bitterness and resentment he always is. Ling’s cunning and silver tongued, and he’s not the only one of the Yao kids with wiles, but now his smile is so open. It’s so earnest. 

“Yeah, I kinda figured.” Ling gives his hand a squeeze before he’s drawing it back. “I don’t mind though, and everyone here knows you, anyway.”

“Not like you, though.”

“And I’m not asking for special treatment.” Ling purses his lips, “Just figured you might want someone to keep you company once in a while.”

Ed nods, smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, even if Ling can’t see it because of the mask. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Ling’s eyes wrinkle with his smile, it’s one of the many things about him that Ed keeps close to his heart. “Good.”

  
  
  


Eventually, they settle on the rooftop, still a few feet apart, but now facing each other. Ling had brought a blanket along, which he lays on top of, body facing the sky, but his head faces Ed. Ed, on the other hand, sits up with his legs crossed, he rests his chin on his hand and listens to Ling talk. They take turns, Ed tells him about some of his past schemes, the ones that hadn’t been big enough to be frontpage headliners, but Ling still found entertaining. Ling tells him about some of the shenanigans he and his siblings and cousin got up to; some Ed had already heard and others he’d been involved in. 

Regardless, they make Ed laugh. 

“You remind me of my nanny, you know.”

Ed frowns.

Ling laughs, “Not in a bad way. He’s a good guy, he’s levelheaded and sensible. But he also has this-” Ling waves his hand, as if trying to physically grasp the words- “he has this mystery around him. Him and his husband. They’re like, they kinda shift towards one another in a way that makes it look like they just know each other. But it’s a lot more, a lot deeper, than that.” Ling giggles to himself, “My siblings and I have many games in which we try to figure him out.”

Ling turns to face him, eyes meeting his through the shadow of his hood, “You just have those vibes to you. It makes sense, given what you do, but there’s something so familiar to the way you wear it.”

“What do you want me to do with that?”

Ling smiles, it’s softer than all the other ones he’s worn throughout the night, “I don’t know. I still can’t tell why I’m telling you all of this.”

“If it makes you feel better, I don’t know why I’m sitting up here.”

They share a smile; even if one can’t be seen, it’s shared and it’s a smile. There’s no need for anything else.

  
  
  


Fullmetal walks Ling back home once again. It’s nice. Ling likes the company under the street nights, he likes weaving in and out of alleys with Fullmetal, he likes the quiet hum of his voice in the quiet night. 

“I’ll see you around, yeah?” Ling says as he opens the gate.

“Yeah, I guess you will,” Fullmetal says, and then, he’s gone.

Ling takes his phone out of his pocket and checks the time.

“Fuck,” he says as he checks the time. 4:53 a.m.

He keeps a careful eye on the windows, trying to see any source of light. Once inside, he takes extra care to not make any sound as he closes the door and as he makes his way down the hallway from the foyer to the staircase. He wonders if Scar noticed he was gone and if he would be angry. 

He doesn’t run into anybody as he makes his way into his bedroom. Once there, he flops down onto his bed and shoves his face into his mountain of pillows. 

He peels his face off of them after laying there for a few minutes, and makes his way to his closet to change into his pjs. When he’s back in bed, he lays awake, staring up at his ceiling at the glow in the dark stars. 

He wasn’t sure what he was hoping or looking for when he invited Fullmetal to join him in star gazing. He’s not sure he found it either.

It makes him miserable; it twists his heart in a way he’s not sure how to handle. 

It reminds him of when he first met Ed. The first time they met, Ling wasn’t all that impressed, but he still wanted to know him. It was weird, because he didn’t know exactly how to. He talked, he joked, he dragged him along into his shenanigans, he smiled, and… and he still couldn’t figure him out. 

Every time he thought he got him, that he caught his eyes and there was a certain knowledge in their gazes, it was turned around by someone else. Ed was always changing, never quite able to sit still or to not do something out of his own volition. To Ling, Ed’s like those portraits in horror films; he’s eye-catching but there’s something that changes every time you look away. Ling’s still trying to figure out if maybe he imagined that change or if maybe he was too distracted to have missed it. That thought scared him.

Ling wants Ed, any way he can have him. But he’s also terrified of him. He’s terrified of having gotten it all wrong, and that maybe he twisted Ed into what he wanted and needed him to be. He’s always prided himself in being able to read others; to be able shift himself into what they wanted him to be and to figure out in turn who they were under whatever mask they put on. 

Ed just wanted him to be him. Not the diplomat or mediator he had grown to be amongst his siblings, not the cynical snob he had grown to be in boarding school, not the mischievous child adults had seen him as - he just saw _Ling_. 

And yet, Ling hadn’t been able to figure out what he was seeing with Ed. Maybe it was because Ed isn’t the kind of guy you can describe in three words and be satisfied with those three. And if all he got was those three words, he didn’t want to mess them up. It wouldn’t be fair to Ed, and Ling just wanted him to be him. He didn’t want to be what held him back or prevented him from being himself.

And well, Ling’s always been the truly greedy sibling. 

It was only a matter of time until he wanted more.

He still wasn’t sure what he felt for Fullmetal; he’d only met the guy three times. But there was a familiarity to him. He was like a manifestation of all that he thought he saw in others. It was like he knew him already, had been able to pick him out and say, “You’ll be a part of my future, won’t you?”

  
  
  


“You took a while.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Ed says as he crosses his arms over his chest. “I had things to do.”

“Uh-huh,” Mustang raises his eyebrows and narrows his eyes but doesn’t say anything else on the matter. “Anything to report tonight?”

Ed lets out a sigh, “There was a group of men loitering around the upper east side, around the Mouned neighborhood.”

Mustang seems to consider the words carefully. “I’ll station some men around there.”

Ed suddenly remembers the events of a couple days ago. “Scar.”

Mustang stiffens but he nods. “Exactly.”

  
  
  


Al has a pot of coffee ready for him when he makes his way downstairs. Although, he doesn’t hand it over without a frown and a glare. His mom places his plate of pancakes in front of him and ruffles his hair. Her hand lingers, and Ed knows that the dark circles under his eyes don’t go unnoticed. 

Breakfast is quieter than usual, leaving Ed enough time to dwell in his own mind. Which in turn, takes him to last night’s events. Back to Ling.

He doesn’t know what to make of himself at times like these. 

Ling’s good, it’s been a fact that overwhelms him by the sheer amount of want for him to remain so. 

So now, he’s not sure if he should tell him. He’s already involved, but telling him might put him at a greater risk. Not that Ling doesn’t know how to take care of himself. 

After all, his family does have a collection of swords and ancient weapons that have been in his family for centuries. And his nanny also worked for the same people Ed does. Not to mention, he’s seen pictures of his mom fighting men three times his size; so yes, Ling can take care of himself.

But Ed just wants him to be safe. 

  
  
  


One of the girls answers the door. She looks Mustang over, curiosity and a hint of disgust on her face. Her hair’s long and dark like her eyes, she’s tall and pale. 

“Oh, you again.” She crosses her arms over her torso and raises an eyebrow, “Need a shower again?”

Mustang holds back the biting remark on the tip of his tongue. Instead he smiles, “No, thank you. Although, if I could talk to Mr. Scar, that would be great.”

“Yeah, hold on,” She hums and holds up a finger. “Nanny! The weird guy with the ugly haircut is back!” She yells over her shoulder. 

Out of nowhere, four heads peek out of the side of the doorway. The rest of the kids narrow their eyes at him, making Mustang shift his weight from foot to foot. Finally, after an eternity under the kids’ scrutinizing gazes, Scar appears. 

“Luciana, get behind me while I handle this.”

The girl steps back and the others rise to their full height and go to stand beside her. Scar’s face hardens as he takes in the sight of him in the doorway. 

“Leave,” He says, already closing the door. 

Mustang jams his foot in the doorway to stop him. “I need to talk to you.”

“There’s nothing to say, not here.”

“It’s a rather delicate matter that we need to discuss as soon as possible.”

“And you thought that my home would be the place for that?”

“Uh…”

Scar sighs and fully opens the door. “I’ll get the tea ready, as I’m sure my kids will be happy to keep you company.”

Mustang glances over Scar’s shoulder at the kids sharing mischievous glances and smiles. His blood runs cold but he nods.

The kids take him to a sitting area, in which large windows let the sunlight filter in as well as give a view to the expansive gardens. The kids immediately take their places in the multiple couches and armchairs.

The boy with short spiky hair that dresses like Ed takes over a love seat, spreading out as much as he can to keep it to himself. His siblings grunt and mutter, “asshole,” as they take their seats. The other boy sits cross legged on the armrest of a couch, a girl with a loose bun and bangs sits beside him. The girl that greeted him, Luciana, sits on an armchair, while the youngest of them takes a side of another love seat. Roy takes an armchair and tries not to squirm under their piercing eyes. 

“Were you two really coworkers?” It’s the youngest one that speaks. Her hair’s pulled up into two buns and three braids fall from each one, she wears a pink sundress and gives him a look that sends a chill down his spine. 

He looks around the room to find that the others are leaning forward, curiosity having been peaked. 

“Uh, you could say that.”

They all lean forward again with impressive synchrony.

“What do you do?” The spiky haired boy speaks, teeth flashing with a grin.

“Combat training,” Scar’s voice cuts through the room. The kids immediately adjust themselves to their original positions and act as if nothing was happening. It all gives Roy whiplash.

“You’ve been having us guess for over a decade and _that’s_ it?” The boy with the ponytail screams. There’s a second of silence before all hell breaks loose. All of them start talking at once, muttering about how they had guessed that multiple times and fighting about who exactly had said it first.

Roy spares a glance at Scar, who just sets down the tray with the teapot and teacups down and clears his throat. Immediately the talking stops. 

“Thank you,” Scar says.

“Do you need help with the snacks?” The youngest girl speaks.

Scar nods, “If you would be so kind.”

“I’ll go along,” Luciana says and gets up to follow the other girl.

“Ling, would you do me the favor of pouring the tea?” The boy with the ponytail nods and immediately gets to work. Scar’s jaw stiffens, “Gregory, take your feet off the couch.”

“That’s what they’re for, though!”

“Not when we have guests.”

The spiky haired boy, now identified as Gregory, groans but does sit up, but not without manspreading. 

  
  
  


Scar ends up sending the kids way, much to their dismay, but they find a way to linger for a little longer. Like taking an exaggerated amount of time cleaning up after themselves and excessively dusting off the couches. 

Scar just sips his tea while the other man, Mustang, watches them out of the corner of his eye.

Once they’re done and finally leave the room, they linger by the staircase.

“That was weird, right?” Ling asks.

Everyone else nods. Then, they go to the kitchen in search of cups to help them eavesdrop.

  
  
  


“That was… something,” Mustang says carefully. “How do you handle them?”

Scar takes another sip of his tea. “They’re good kids.”

Mustang nods and clears his throat. Before he can speak, Scar holds up a hand. He gets up and walks to the door. The two boys come tumbling inside when he opens the door, each one holding a cup. Ling smiles sheepishly at Scar while Gregory just huffs out a breath and crosses his arms over his chest. Scar just points them out the door. 

Scar looks around before pointing at seemingly random spots in the room. After a moment, the three girls walk out of said places and leave the room.

Once they’re all out of the room, Scar returns to his seat and gestures at Roy to continue.

“Are you sure they’re gone?”

Scar tilts his head to the side, “Yes, they must be upstairs. Probably planning something to bid you farewell with.”

“Should I be scared?”

The corner of Scar’s mouth twitches. “Perhaps.”

  
  
  


Scar’s fingers dig into the armrest of his chair as Mustang explains the situation to him. 

“So it’s a fact now. Not a theory, just a fact.”

Mustang’s lips press into a thin line, he nods. “I’m afraid so.”

Scar sighs and runs a hand over his face. “I’ll work with you if it means I’ll never be dragged into this shit show ever again.”

Mustang’s eyebrows furrow but there’s clear amusement on his face. “Consider it done.” Mustang reaches into his pocket and withdraws a small card, “This is where my team and I meet. You know the score, I’ll expect you there.”

“I’ll take no orders from you, but yes. And expect my husband as well.”

Mustang gives him a thin smile.

  
  
  


Ling’s not sure how he ended up walking along Resembool Avenue at 12 a.m., but he is. Not sure - just walking along it. His feet know where to take him, muscle memory taking over as he lets his mind wander. He spots the house soon enough, a cute three story building with green window frames and many flower beds marking the path towards the green door. 

He climbs up the tree from which an old swing hangs off; the task easy enough seeing as he’s been climbing buildings since he was a toddler, and hauls himself to the window he had kept his eye on. 

He knocks on it, careful to not make too much noise to disturb anyone else in the house. 

He waits, holding his breath. He feels a smile slowly spread over his face as a light flickers on. 

The window is slowly pushed open, curtains being pushed aside. His eyes meet gold ones and his breath catches as his smile keeps spreading. 

“Ling?”

“Hey,” Ling winks. Ed steps aside and offers a hand to help him inside.

“What are you doing here?” Ed asks as he closes the window, he turns to face him and gives him a one over. “Are you even in the condition to be climbing trees, much less entering through windows?”

Ling shrugs, “I’ve done that with broken limbs before.”

Ed rolls his eyes. “Figures.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ling pouts, eyes taking on the signature Yao puppy eyes.

Ed waves his hand in front of his face. “Nuh-uh, don’t try those on me. It’s too early.”

“Does that mean that they _do_ work on you?” Ed glares at him while Ling giggles. “Just teasing, Ed-boy.”

“You’re even worse than Al.”

“But you love me,” Ling says in a sing-song voice.

Ed groans. “Why are you here again?”

“What? Can’t I drop by to see a friend?”

“At 12 a.m.?”

“I don’t think your dad would be too happy to see me here,” Ling says while looking over at the door. “You know, family rivalry and all.”

Ed rolls his eyes, “To hell with that, you’re my friend. Besides, your dad likes me well enough.”

“Yeah, he does.”

Ed looks at him as if in search of something. He grunts and reaches forward to take his arm.

“C’mon, it’s late,” Ed mutters as he drags Ling to his bed. “And you need to rest if you’re going to heal.”

“Pretty bold words for someone that usually runs on two hours of sleep,” Ling counters.

Ed sputters for a second while Ling laughs quietly. “Yeah, well, I’m not the one that got stabbed.”

“Low blow,” Ling chides as Ed practically throws him on the bed before flopping down beside him. 

Ed’s bed isn’t that big, but then again, neither is Ed. Fitting them both isn’t necessarily a problem, it’s just a little tight.

Which is how they end up snuggled against each other, legs tangled, Ling’s fingers running through Ed’s hair while Ed clutches the arm that had been slung over his shoulders. They’re facing each other, faces so close every breath feels like it’s being shared. 

Ling takes the time to shamelessly catalogue every single one of his features; he lets his eyes linger on his long, blond eyelashes, on the freckles dusting the bridge of his nose, to the stray locks of golden hair that stick to his forehead. 

“What?” Ed’s voice doesn’t have its usual bite, instead, it’s quiet in the space between them. “What are you looking at?”

“You.”

Ed rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I got that, idiot.” Ed shifts slightly so they’re closer, “I mean, what are you trying to find.”

“What makes you think I’m looking for something?” 

Ed shrugs, “You just… you’re looking at me like, like you’re trying to find something.”

Ling smiles and leans forward so their foreheads are pressed together. “Go to sleep, Ed.”

  
  
  


To be fair, Ed did actually fall asleep. If only for twenty minutes, it still counts as sleep. 

Still, he’s frozen in shock as he opens his eyes, internal clock going off, and sees Ling’s sleeping face right before him. His breath catches in his throat, and he takes a second to calm down and process what’s going on. It’s not the first time they’ve shared a bed, but this time it feels as if something has shifted. Ed just settles back into the mattress, tightening his grip on Ling’s arm. Ed closes his eyes and breathes in the comfort of having someone else besides him. 

He begrudgingly opens his eyes again, and carefully wiggles out of Ling’s grip, careful not to wake him up. He rubs his eyes and lets out a soft sigh. Carefully, he makes his way to his closet, there’s a bag buried under a pile of dirty clothes where he keeps his suit. He takes it out and slings it over his shoulder, taking a pair of jeans and a hoodie out as well. He gets dressed as quickly as possible. 

Ed goes to check on Ling, to find that he’s still sound asleep and there’s no danger of him seeing Ed leave. In a split second of impulsiveness, he reaches out and brushes his bangs off his face, fingertips lingering before he’s stepping back. 

He glances over his shoulder before climbing out the window. 

He finds an alley in which to duck in and quickly changes into his suit. He scans the alley; and claps his hand to press them to the wall, from which a set of steps appear from. Once on the roof, he turns the wall back to normal before tearing off into the night. 

He makes it to their usual meeting place within a few minutes.

He stops upon taking two steps inside said building, two figures in particular catching his eye. 

“Scar?” Both men turn to look at him. “Miles?”

Miles’ lips twitch into a small smile. “Hello, Edward.”

“You guys know each other?” Havoc says from where he leans against a wall, cigarette already in his mouth. 

“He’s my best friend’s nanny,” Ed says, gesturing at Scar, then he turns to Miles. “And he’s my AP history teacher.”

Havoc sputters. “Are you fucking serious? You two are legendary in the agency, you two worked alongside the Armstrongs; and you work as a nanny and a high school teacher?”

“Indeed,” Scar says in his gravelly voice. 

“Is there a problem?”

“No, just… processing.” Havoc’s eyes trail off to the side, “What kind of kids are they if they need you as a nanny?”

“You don’t want to know.” Everyone’s heads snap to the doorway as Mustang walks in, Hawkeye in tow with a small smile on her mouth. 

Ed raises an eyebrow, Hawkeye catches his eye and mouths, “I’ll tell you later.”

Mustang clears his throat, “Now that we’re all here, we should get started.”

  
  
  


Al’s a little pissed. But it’s chill, he’s chill. So instead of banging on his brother’s wall to tell him to shut the fuck up, he goes downstairs for a glass of water. 

He still wants to give his brother shit for being awake at such hours, but he instead decides to check on him as he goes up the stairs. The house is a little creaky, but he’s done his fair share of sneaking out and helping Ed out to not know his way around it. 

Very silently, footsteps muffled by his socks, he stops in front of his brother’s door. He rolls his eyes at the My Chemical Romance sticker and opens the door as silently as he can. 

He almost drops his glass of water at what he finds inside. 

There’s no sign of Ed, but there’s very much a sign of Ling. He’s huddled to the far end of the bed, back pressed to the wall, and an Ed sized spot next to him. 

“Interesting,” Al says to himself before closing the door.

  
  
  


The meeting didn’t go terribly per se; few people got threatened and only once did someone pull out a gun, but no one died and they all reached a conclusion. 

The Yaos were to be put under vigilance and protection, which Scar would be in charge of. Scar and Miles agreed to get in contact with old allies, including Miles’ adoptive family, the Armstrongs. 

“I still don’t understand why they’re targeting you and the family,” Falman said. “Although you work for them, wouldn’t it make sense to go after your actual family?”

“I’ve raised those kids as if they were my own.”

“Besides,” Miles speaks up, “the Yaos have deeper connections than you realize. They’re a sensible target, especially the kids.”

“Which is why I have an extra request to make,” Scar says. “You’ll keep a closer eye on them than on the others.” 

“I could help with that,” Ed says. “They already know me and I’m on the streets pretty much every night.”

Scar purses his lips. “Just, make sure they’re not in danger.”

Ed thinks back to his room where Ling must still be sleeping, “I already do.”

Scar gives him a knowing look while Miles gives him a small smile. Everyone else looks at him questioningly.

“Then it’s settled,” Mustang says. 

They all part, Edward more anxious than ever to get back to his room. 

“Edward,” Ed looks over his shoulder and meets Scar’s eyes. “Make sure Ling makes it home in time for breakfast.”

Ed stands there, wide eyed and totally _not_ blushing. 

  
  
  


Ling wakes up to find the door ajar. He looks around to no sign of Ed. His eye catches on a duffel bag that hadn’t been there before, placed right outside the closet.

“Hey,” His eyes snap up to the doorway. Ed smiles at him and offers one of the glasses he’s holding. 

“Hey.”

“Did I wake you?” Ed sits on the edge of the bed. 

“Nah,” He glances at the bag again. “Did you go anywhere?”

Ed hesitates, which Ling doesn’t comment on but he also doesn’t miss. “No, I just got cold and looked for a hoodie.”

“Ok,” Ling places his glass on the nightstand and shuffles back until his back touches the wall. He lifts up the blankets and pats the place beside him. 

Ed crawls beside him and settles into their old position. 

He falls asleep like that for the second time that night, perfectly warm and with a boy in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully there'll be more plot development in the next chapter. Again, a huge thank you to anyone that's still reading this. If you want to talk about this fic or ask on updates or just check out my blog, [this](https://wlwmothman.tumblr.com/) is my tumblr. My asks are open pretty much at all times.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed that. i have a shit ton of other wips so if you want to come scream at me to update this sooner, my tumblr is @linglover420


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